


The Passing Of The Torch

by RaspberriIcedTea



Category: A Year Without a Santa Claus (1974), KittenSneeze (Music)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Flash Fiction, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, Mentor-Protégé Relationship, Next Generation, No Angst, No Romance, No Slash, Nostalgia, One Shot, Platonic Relationships, Short, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Wholesome, no nothing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:33:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29439774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaspberriIcedTea/pseuds/RaspberriIcedTea
Summary: Snow Miser is about to retire, but when he learns that a wide-eyed kid named "Iclyn" is taking his place, he can't pass up an opportunity to meet the little fella.
Relationships: Snow Miser & Snow Miser 2020 Ver.
Kudos: 6





	The Passing Of The Torch

The huge double doors open wide, a cold gust of wind blowing into the main room to reveal…

...a small, skinny entity with a head of hair that looks thick and messy enough to break a comb in half. 

“Hm. You’re a lot smaller than I thought you’d be.” 

“Hi Mister!” They greet. “I’m Iclyn!”

“Oh, is that so? Well, a little birdie told me you’re going to be the one to fill my shoes when I retire.”

“Uh huh!”

He rises from his chair. “Well, well, well, let’s have a look at the newbie! If that’s quite alright with you, that is.”

“Fine by me!” Iclyn replies, rocking back and forth on their feet. “To be honest, I’m pretty excited! This is...the  _ coolest  _ place ever!”

They both crack up laughing.

“I see you’ve got a bunch of jokes, kiddo! That’s a good sign!” He looks Iclyn up and down. “You look like a little acrobat. You like to dance?”

Iclyn nods enthusiastically. “I  _ love  _ to dance! And sing!! I can even do our theme song!”

He raises an eyebrow. “Oh, you can, can you? I think I’ll be the judge of that, ha ha!”

He heads down the steps and stands by the entrance of the room. “Take it away, mini snow cone!”

Iclyn’s eyes widen as they look up at the empty ice chair. This is it. This is the moment they’ve been practicing for since the moment they could move their feet. Their first big performance in the lair they were made for, and a heck of a guy to impress!  They step up onto the platform, and notice that their heart is pounding, and they’re sweating a little from the pressure. And really, who could blame them? How is one supposed to put on a performance that the one audience member crafted himself? 

“Whoa there, sonny. You look like you’re about to have a heart attack. Relax, will ya? You’re gonna do fine.” They heard him encourage from the sidelines. He puts their nerves at ease.

They take a deep breath, a grin creeping over their face.

“ _ Hit it! _ ”

~❄️~

“Would you look at that, you’re not half bad, kid! I’m impressed! 

“Now...I’m a little confused, though...did you say ‘Mister’ or ‘Missus’?” He tries looking Iclyn over again, realizing he isn’t quite certain of his successor’s gender.

“Both!” They reply without batting an eye.

“Huh. Well, that’s new.” He shrugs. “Good for you, kiddo. Sounds like fun!”

Suddenly, his expression becomes a bit more serious...or at least, as serious as it can get. “Hey...there’s something I gotta ask you. How's your family?”

“My family? They’re doing good! Mother sent me here, and Ellie’s off doing the same thing I am right now, I bet!”

“Ellie...I reckon that’s your stepsister.”

“She’s my big sister!”

“Aha…” He goes back up to his chair, but he doesn’t sit in it. After all, it isn’t going to be his much longer. “...do you two get along?”

Iclyn looks down at the floor. “Not always.” 

He chuckles. “Siblings rarely do. No, what I’m asking is: if things got tough, and I mean,  _ real  _ tough. Would the two of you have each other’s backs?”

They nod. “Of course! That’s what sisters are for.”

Their predecessor gives them a tired smile. “Good, good. That’s important, you know. Took me way too long to patch things up with the old hot shot.

“Now, come here, I wanna give you something.”

Iclyn approaches him. He takes off his hat and puts it on their head, stepping back to take a look. It’s a little big on them, but they don’t appear to mind.

…

“…Lookin’ sharp, kiddo.” He says.

Iclyn grins, giggling happily to themself.

“You take good care of that hat, got it? It’s lasted me almost 50 odd years.”

Iclyn’s smile fades a bit, and they nod in understanding. “I will, I promise.”

He looks around at the room. Centuries of memories cross his mind. Then, he looks down to Iclyn, quietly bouncing their knees next to him. He sighs, and smiles. He’s been debating this decision for decades, but seeing Iclyn makes something shift within him, as if this is the universe’s way of telling him everything will be okay.

“Yes, I’m gonna miss this place a whole lot.” He tells them. “But I can tell I’ll be leaving it in good hands. Or…” He holds up their gloved hand. “…in good gloves!”

They both snicker at the bad joke.

“Hey, if you ever need help keeping your turf away from the hotheads, just give me a ring. You got that, ice pop?” 

“Sure thing! But…” They take a step closer to him. “...where will  _ you _ go?”

He turns to Iclyn on his way to the doors. “...I’ve got a friend up north who owes me one. I might be retiring, but you sure haven’t seen the last of me!” He lets loose one of his signature belly laughs. Iclyn giggles along with him.

He steps out into a blizzard that wasn’t there before, and carries himself off along the winds, leaving nothing but the echoes of his howling laughter. Iclyn waves.

With him off, they turn back to the chair in the center of the room. They approach it, but then they glance around, as if looking for someone to give them permission. It feels almost like stealing.

But then, they take a tentative seat, and survey their new lair from the vantage point. Everything seems to change, and the guilty feeling leaves them as quickly as it came. This is the place where they belong. Another grin breaks out across their face.

They’re home.

**Author's Note:**

> So I hyperfixated on KittenSneeze's song cover. Sue me.
> 
> This started out as something I'd leave in my google docs for eternity, but then I posted it on an amino and the reception was overwhelmingly positive, so I thought I'd post it here too! I hope it pulls your nostalgia heartstrings as much as it does mine.


End file.
